Risk of Tehran Citizens Contracting Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

The Vice President of the Environmental Protection Committee of the Iranian Parliament warned about the potential for Tehran citizens to contract highly pathogenic avian influenza following the death of several migratory birds around Lake Chitgar in Tehran. Jabbar Kouchakinejad stated in an interview with the official news agency of the Parliament (House of the Nation) that the disease is spreading rapidly in the country. He reported that three dead birds infected with the virus were found near Lake Chitgar and urged Tehran residents to avoid contact with wild and migratory birds to prevent infection. He also mentioned that the high speed of the disease's spread among poultry has caused irreparable losses. In a separate report, an official from the Iranian Environmental Organization stated that the Veterinary Organization had only confirmed one case of dead birds around Lake Chitgar being infected with avian influenza. Siamak Masoudi, head of the Wildlife Disease Group at the Environmental Organization, added that only one sample of the dead birds from Chitgar was confirmed to have avian influenza, and further tests are needed. He also reported approximately three thousand dead birds due to highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Boujagh area of Markazi Province, with over two thousand carcasses collected and disposed of. This area is under control, and access is prohibited. Vehicles in the area are disinfected, and tourists are advised not to enter. The head of the Wildlife Disease Group also noted that there have been no reports of wild bird deaths in other parts of the country. To prevent the virus from spreading to humans, he emphasized the importance of banning hunting, fishing, and capturing birds. The issue of highly pathogenic avian influenza gained attention earlier this year after a spike in egg prices due to the culling of over 20 million infected laying hens in Iranian farms. A member of Parliament reported losses of 310 billion tomans to poultry farms in Iran due to the virus, with approximately 20 million birds lost, over 80% of which were laying hens. The Mehr News Agency reported that the avian influenza outbreak has become a 'major challenge' in Iran, attributing the spread of the disease and the culling of over 40% of poultry to 'insufficient actions by government agencies.' The agency noted that the alarm for highly pathogenic avian influenza has sounded in Iran, and 'insufficient government actions' have not only led to the spread of the disease in poultry farms but have also resulted in the emergence of a new strain of the disease that causes human fatalities. Previously, following the outbreak of avian influenza in Iranian farms, there were reports on social media of several individuals contracting the disease, which was denied by Mohammad Mehdi Gooya, head of the Infectious Diseases Management Center of the Ministry of Health. Farzad Talakesh, Secretary General of the National Association of Egg Producers of Iran, indicated that northern provinces like Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan, as well as northwestern provinces like Ardabil, East Azerbaijan, and West Azerbaijan, are more at risk for human transmission of the disease and called for adequate regional information dissemination. He warned that otherwise, in addition to further spread of the virus, 'we may witness its transmission to humans' and urged the Ministry of Health to begin training in this area for rural residents in northern Iran. According to the Secretary General of the National Association of Egg Producers, in previous years, when a unit was culled to prevent the spread of disease, all poultry farms within a three-kilometer radius were also culled, but this year, due to insufficient funding, this was not done. He stated that in the past two years, 'real losses to poultry farmers have not been compensated, leading many producers to conceal disease reports; the disease spread and was reported later.'